Oil retainer



M y '1939. w. B. D. PENNIMAN 2,157,626

OIL RETAINER Filed Jan. 23, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I .26 l I 2? I May 9, 1939.

w. B. D. PENNIMAN OIL RETAINER Filed Jan. 23, .1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MW 6 graven iar:

Patented May 9, 1939 UNiTEfi STATES PATENT OFFIQE Claims.

This invention relates to oil retainers for railway journal boxes, and more particularly to devices of simple construction for efliciently retaining oil in the journal boxes of electric or steam 5 railways, with particular reference to railroad cars of the United States or adjoining or other countries.

In the prior art, there have been a great many structures suggested for use as oil seals or dust guards. Many of them have proved inefficient use, neither sealing the box against entry of dirt nor against loss of oil. Further some of the prior art devices are of such character that insertion of the seal can only be done economically when the railway car is under construction, or when it is being rebuilt, since the journal boxes have to be withdrawn in order to insert the sealing ring, and this requires dismantling of the truck. This is also true of many dust guards in general use, so that there is the absurd condition of not being able to repair or replace an important part of the equipment without dismantling the truck. This difficulty and the cost of applying seals is not so burdensome in a comparative way, in the case of passenger cars, tenders, and other railroad equipment where the average day mileage is relatively great, and the equipment is generally running on the tracks of its owner, but it is evidently of considerable importance in the case of freight cars, where the mileage is relatively small, and which freight cars pass from road to road with only minor regard to ownership and strict rules regarding repairs.

Another drawback of prior art practice resides in the fact that the construction of the journal box is such that the level of oil that can be maintained therein is relatively low. This is due to the fact that the back edge of the box is necessarily a sufficient distance below the shoulder to permit the jacking up of the box and removal of the wedge and bearing when a new hearing has to be placed in service.

Still a further consideration lies in the manner of the packing of wool waste into the journal box. The packing of the wool Waste into a journal box is rather an elaborate operation. As described in The Practice of Lubrication by T. C. Thomsen, 1st ed. 1920, pages 270-271: Waste Oiling.- Good wool waste should be soaked with the proper seasonable kind of oil for at least 48 hours before being used. The surplus oil should be drained off, allowing sufficient oil in the waste so that it will show under slight pressure. If there is too much oil in the waste, the waste becomes too heavy, and will fall away from the journal, thus depriving the bearing of lubrication altogether. Well soaked waste will have absorbed approximately five times its own Weight of oil.

The first Waste (Fig. 101A) should be moder- 5 ately dry and packed tightly around the back end of the box, so as. to make a. guard for the purpose, not only of retaining the oil, but of excluding the dust. Then the box should be packed with the drained waste, made into balls, firmly enough so that it will not fall away from the journal when the car runs over crossings, etc., but not so tightly as to squeeze out the oil. The waste should be kept even with the journal, an inch below the edges of the brass. This is most important, as waste packed too high will be caught and carried round, causing a hot box.

The waste in the front end of the box should be as high as the opening, and have no thread connection with the waste underneath the journal. This waste should be placed in the box by hand after the box has been packed. It performs no service other than to act as a stopper to pre-- vent the waste that is doing the work of lubrication from working forward.

It is at once obvious that to perform any such operation on the road where bearings often have to be replaced, is not simple or easy, and particularly under severe, adverse weather conditions. These operations are difiicult to perform properly under the emergency conditions that arise when a hot box, broken bearing, etc., occurs in running service, making it necessary to repack the box. So that the repacked box often continues to give trouble, as the trainmen are seldom especially skilled in the rather elaborate technique such as is outlined above.

Pad oilers of various designs are sometimes used, but as these do not include the protection (slight as it is) afforded by the first section of packing as pointed out above, which in some measure limits the amount of dust and grit that enters the box, their use is of limited value.

One of the objects of the present invention is to make the packing or repacking of the journal, a simple, easy and efficient operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an oil seal or oil retainer that is of simple construction and may be readily applied in sealing position.

A still further object of the invention includes means for raising the oil level in the journal box.

Other and further objects and advantages will appear from the more detailed description of the invention, as given below, it being understood,

however, that that more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only, and not as limiting, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In connection with that more detailed descrip tion there is shown in the accompanying drawings, in

Figure 1, a sectional view of a form of oil retainer in accordance with the present invention in position in a journal box; in

Figure 2, a transverse section of the structure of Figure 1; in

Figure 3, a side elevation of an oil retainer; in

Figure 4, an end elevation of the oil retainer of Figure 3; in

Figure 5, a modified form of oil retainer in position in a journal box; in

Figure 6, an elevation of the oil retainer of Figure 5; in

Figure 7, a further modified form of oil retainer; and in Figure 8, a still further modified form of oil retainer.

In connection with the present invention, the following conditions are particularly desirable in car journal lubrication:

l. The lubrication device should be capable of being quickly and certainly applied, removed and replaced, without the necessity for skilled labor.

2. The device should be of such construction that the leakage of oil is reduced to a minimum.

3. The device should be such that there can and will be a plentiful supply of oil to the journal and the oil level in the journal box should be as high as feasible.

4. The amount of grit, water, etc., entering the box should be reduced to the lowest practical amount.

5. Desirably the lubricant employed should have a low viscosity and high adhesiveness, and more particularly explained in the companion copending application entitled Art of lubrication, filed July 23, 1934, Serial No. 736,612.

Accordingly the invention is particularly concerned with oil retainers and means for controlling the lubrication in the journal boxes of railway cars, in which the factors referred to above are utilized. Devices in accordance With the present invention raise the level for the oil in the journal box, and also provide seals against leakage, particularly from the loose strands of waste, which often syphon the oil from the journal box. Furthermore, in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the hazardous repacking of journal boxes during the breakdowns that occur in running service, and means are provided which eliminate the necessity for such repacking operations under service conditions.

One of the most desirable forms of the inven tion is that in which a box is made that more or less fits into the interior of the journal box. Such box may be made from any desired material rigid, semi-flexible, or flexible, depending upon the exact design of the American Railway Association box that is in use on the equipment. A flexible box is more desirable, and in some cases must be used, since a box made of sheet metal, for example, could not in some structures be inserted into the journal box where the spaces are not sufficient to permit such insertion. Where the box is of any desired material generally, however, one end of the box that is to contact with the shoulder of the journal is in all cases made of a flexible or elastic material, such as of leather or some other similar material, the properties of which approach that of leather. This leather or other flexible end of the box is desirably shaped so that it has a flanged portion carrying a semicircular opening, which is approximately the diameter of the shoulder of the journal against which it is intended to contact. The material of the end of the box is generally sufficiently rigid to maintain its contact with the shoulder of the journal, but desirably a spring-shaped support may also be utilized to maintain the collar of the leather end of the box in contact with the journal. A box of this character may be readily inserted into the journal box, particularly when the box is made of flexible material, and the flexible end of the box, whether of leather or similar material, engaging against the journal prevents leakage of oil out, or entry of water, dirt, etc., into the box.

Referring more particularly to the drawings which illustrate this phase of the invention, there is shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, a journal box of standard type carrying an oil retainer produced in accordance with the present invention. As there shown, a journal box of any ordinary or standard construction is illustrated at i, having the usual structural characteristics. As illustrated, it is of the type generally used in connection with and forming part of the equipment of railway cars of standard type. Boxes of this general character are usually provided with a guard slot 2 at the inner end of the box formed within the end walls 3 and 4 of such boxes, the floor of the box being generally indicated at 5. An opening 6 is usually provided at the front end of the box into which waste or oil may be inserted into the journal box, the opening usually being provided with a cover (not shown). The usual bearing "i carrying the brass and wedge 8 are also indicated. The walls 3 and 4 forming the guard slot 2 are provided with an opening & through which the journal or axle I0 passes. The openings 9 in the Walls 3 and 1 are sufficiently large so that the inner walls of the opening ii will not come into contact with the journal or axle it during the various transverse movements that take place in actual operation, and which cause relative movements to take place between the journal iii and box i.

Furthermore, the opening 9 must be of such size as to permit removal of the old bearing and replacement of such bearing when necessary. For this purpose, the inner wall i i of the opening 9 is necessarily a suflicient distance below the shoulder of the journal is to permit the box to be jacked up sufficiently for removal of the Wedge and bearing when replacement is necessary. The height of the wall i i above the floor 5 of the journal box necessarily limits the level of oil which can be maintained in the journal box in its ordinary construction. And it will be evident from the drawings, particularly Figure 1, that only a relatively low level of oil can be maintained in the journal box under ordinary conditions, since otherwise the oil would run out of the box over the shoulder or wall ii of the opening 9.

The oil retainer illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings desirably takes the form of a box member l2 having a bottom portion l3 which generally follows the contour of the floor 5 of the journal box, and side walls l4 approximately of the width of the journal box, although lesser Width may desirably be utilized. The side walls 14 are desirably cut away as shown at it in Figure 3, so that the front end of the box is approximately of the same height as the front wall I! of the journal box. The rear wall i8 is desirably angularly disposed with respect to the bottom 13 of the box at an angle somewhat greater than 90 therewith, and is attached to or joins the bottom l3 of the box at the point IS, the bottom l3 of the box i2 not extending rearwardly quite as far as the wall 4 of the guard slot 2. The angularly disposed rear wall is thus resting on the edge 20 of the wall l4 extends up to the journal H1 at a point approximately in line with the slot 2. The rear wall I8 is provided with a semispherical opening 2| of practically the same size as the journal It]. And the rear wall I8 is of such height that the wall of the opening 25 is in contact with the journal I0.

The wall i8 is desirably of leather or similar flexible or elastic material, as pointed out above, and desirably the entire box 12 may be made of such material, but if desired the rear wall l8 alone may be made of such material, and joined at the point I9 to the bottom and side walls of the box l2, the bottom and side walls of the box being made of any desired material, whether rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible. The production of such box from material of the same character used throughout is a desirable form of the invention, as illustrated. Desirably a spring 22 having a portion 23 resting against the floor 5 of the journal box and coil side portions 2d, 24 desirably out of contact with the inner side walls of the journal box is utilized to urge the member it into contact with the journal. For this purpose, the spring may be attached to the rear wall l8 and lie contiguous thereto, the ends 25, 25 of the spring engaging into the upper ends of the wall [8, as particularly shown in Figure 2. The spring 22 may be attached to the wall 18 in any desired way, so that the parts are maintained in the illustrated position.

It will be apparent that since the wall [8 is in direct contact with the journal i0, and is urged into such contact constantly by means of the spring member 22, an effective seal is obtained against loss of oil, and also against the entrance of water, dirt, dust, etc. into the box. Furthermore since the wall If! acts to retain oil in the retainer 12, the level of oil in the box, since the oil is within the oil retainer i2, may be maintained materially higher than would be possible where no such structure is employed. The oil retainer !2 may be packed with Waste in the usual manner as explained above. Such packing of the oil retainer 12 with the waste may be eifected before the oil retainer is inserted into the journal box, and in this way the packing of wool waste or similar material may be done before the insertion of the oil retainer, and eliminates the uncertainty of packing under running conditions. Thus the oil retainer packed with waste as desired before insertion into the journal box may be carried as replacement equipment for insertion into a journal box whenever necessary. And since such packing of the oil retainer i2 may be done by skilled men, the hazardous conditions of repacking under running conditions by unskilled men is eliminated.

Usually the oil retainer will be removed from the box prior to replacement of a bearing when the latter operation becomes necessary. However, if the rear wall 58 of the oil retainer box I2 is so placed that it contacts with the curved surface 26 between the journal IE) and shoulder 21 of the journal, when the box I is jacked up as explained above, the curved portion 26 will urge the flexible or elastic wall l8 along its surface, and out of direct contact with the journal l9, so that there will be no danger of crushing the wall l8 against the journal l6. Desirably also corrugations 28 may be provided in the wall l8, which corrugations will give to pressure of the journal I!) against the wall of the opening 2! in the rear wall N3 of the oil retainer box i2. As a general rule, however, it is preferable to remove the oil retainer box l2 from the journal box during such replacement operation, and before the box is jacked up in order to remove the bearing.

As noted, the box should be of such character that it may be placed in position, and usually must be made of material flexible enough so that it may pass through the space between the socalled button 29 of the journal and the edge of the box 11.

It is not essential that the oil retainer box have a slanting rear wall l8 as shown in Figures 1 to i, but the device may take the form shown in Figure 7, where the oil retainer box i2 having the bottom l3 of a character to conform with the floor 5 of the journal box, has also side walls 14 and cutaway portions it as indicated above for the device of Figures 1 to 4. In this case, however, the rear wall i8 is made substantially vertical to rest against or be contiguous with the wall 4 of the guard slot 2. A device of this character with the relatively straight wall E8 may be used in substantially the same manner as that set forth above in connection with the device shown in Figures 1 to 4. And the straight walled oil container, as shown in Figure 7, may be if desired, packed with waste in the manner described above for the device of Figures 1 to 4. A spring member 22 analogous to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 may also be employed in connection with the container of the character of Figure 7. contiguous to the straight rear wall l3 and attached thereto in the same manner as that described and shown in Figure 2. And in addition, portions of the wall 18 may carry corrugations analogous to those described and shown in Figure 4, if desired.

A further modification of the oil retainer box is shown in Figure 8, and is substantially similar to t this angularly disposed portion of the bottom member [3" lying between the bottom portion 13" and the inclined rear wall 53'. A spring member, similar to that of Figure 2, may also be utilized with the device shown in Figure 8. The slightly inclined floor portion 33 serves the additional function of enabling the wall it" to be depressed when the journal box is jacked up in order to replace a bearing. In other respects the oil retainer of Figure 8 is substantially the same as that of Figures 1 to i, and may be sim larly employed.

While as illustrated above and shown in Figures l to 4, '7 and 8, a box form of oil retainer is desirably employed, it is not essential that the sealing member or wall iil or E3 or it be a portion of a box-type container. In lieu thereof, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, an oil seal may be employed substantially of a flat leather member 3! having a width substantially equal to the inner width of the journal box 5. The member 3 is in iii) height substantially equal to that necessary to reach the center line of the journal, and is provlded with a semi-circular cut-out portion 32, of substantially the contour of the journal Hi. This flat sheet member 3i is adapted to be used by being held against the wall of the journal box slot and to extend upwardly so that the cut-out portion 32 enables the member iii to engage directly against the journal it). A spring member 33 may also be employed in connection with the flat plate member 3i, analogous in character to the spring shown in Figure and utilized for the purpose of strengthening the leather member 3i, and urging it into contact with the journal H3. And similarly corrugations may be utilized in order that the plate 3i may give substantially when the box is jacked up in order to replace a bearing as described above. The oil seal of the character shown in Figures 5 and 6 may be held in position in any desired way, as by being bolted to the wall or merely cemented thereto,asshown in Figure 5, or he waste packing itself which is placed in the journal box may be utilized to hold the seal 35 in position, or any other mechanical means may be employed for that purpose. The type of oil retainer shown in Figures 5 and 6 sealed to the wall 4 or held thereagainst by pressure may be employed, but are not as generally applicable as the box type of oil retainer described above, since such plates require a larger amount of mechanical ln'll, both in the manufacture of the box and the application of the retainer on the road.

It has been pointed out above that the wall 58, or it or iii, or the seal 3i is desirably made of leather or other flexible or elastic material adapted to maintain its position and utility in practice. Desirably leather constitutes a material from which such wall members are made. For this purpose, the leather may be specially prepared to give it increased and desirable characteristics for this utility. One method of treating the leather for this purpose is that set forth in application, Serial No. 209,256, filed July 29, 1927, entitled Oil seal and dust guard for journal boxes from which the following description is taken. The material should be flexible or elastic or sufficiently yieldable for the purposes in hand, and yet should retain its position in contact with the journal in order to maintain the desired seal. Leather is a particularly satisfactory material for use in this connection owing to its inherent flexibility and its toughness. The leather of suitable size and shape may be soaked in water until it can be stretched in any direction, and is then shaped when change in shape is necessary, by placing it in a mold or between dies and subjected to hydraulic or other suitable pressure to form it into the desired shape. Whether shaped or not, it is then dried in a mold to retain its shape, and is subsequently soaked in sperm or other oil. Such treated leather is a very dcsirable material from which to produce the wall members i8, id or H3, or the plate member El described above. And the corugations referrer to may be placed in such wall members or seals at the time that they are being shaped in the mold as set forth above.

With reference to the pads referred to above, these may be covered with oilcloth or leather and a seal placed on the end of the covered pad, such device being used in accordance with the present invention. In such modified form, the covered pad member is adapted to lie on the floor of the box and to hold the sealing element in position,

in which case, the seal member, such as that shown in Figure 6, may be carried by attachment to one end of the covered pad, whereby the pad. member will serve to fix the position of the seal in contact with the journal.

The oil retainers referred to above are particularly efizlcient in preventing oil leakage, no matter how applied, along the lower half of the shoulder or journal. There is some small loss by seepage while running, but this small loss is readily made up by pouring oil into the front end of the journal box. The oil retainer has been found in practice to be a satisfactory method for the protection of the lubrication of car journals. Due to such oil retainers, much larger amounts of oil and low viscosity oils can desirably be employed than can be done when the ordinary method of packing is followed, as with the present invention excess oil is prevented from running out of the back of the box, even when the oil level is up to the journal. The danger of syphoning from the journal box by loose strands of wool is also eliminated. The invention is particularly suitable for use with lubricants as described in application, Serial No. 736,612, filed July 23, 1934, entitled Art of lubrication, with which oil waste grab caused by the freezing of the saturated waste in the journal is easily avoided; as a lubricant with a freezing point below atmospheric temperature is readily prepared by the oil manufacturers. Pads, as mentioned above, may be advisable and economical where the low vis cosity oil is used, for this oil, when properly prepared, does not glaze the surface of the pad to any appreciable degree over long periods of time. The capillarity of the wicking is also undisturbed over long periods of time when these special lubricants are employed. On the other hand, with the car oil generally used for the lubrication of railway cars in this country, it may be desirable to use some form of waste, as a new surface of the powdered waste can be readily formed by stirring up the Waste. The spring members as noted serve to hold the leather up into contact with the shoulder of the journal, or with the journal portion of the axle itself, and these spring members are arranged, as noted, so that when the box is jacked up for repair purposes, the leather portion of the seal is forced forward on the axle in such a way that it is not cut, and is removed from between the edge of the journal box and the shoulder or other portion of the axle. This positioning of the springs that hold the leather retainer in position also prevent any cutting or destruction of the leather in the case of longitudinal changes in the relative position of the axle and box, such as always takes place to a greater or lesser degree when brakes are applied, and the axle runs forward or backward upon the journal bearing.

The devices of the present invention are effective in keeping a fiexible and clinging material in contact with such portions of the axle as are necessary to secure at all times such permanent and constant contact that there is no substantial leakage of oil from this portion of the device.

Where the dust guard slot 2-as is generally the case-is open at the top, a supplementary retainer generally made of wood or fiber or similar material may be inserted, as shown at 35 in Figures 1 and 2, having a semi-circular opening 36 cut therein so that it will rest in contact with the journal Hi, and of a width equal to the width of the slot 2, so that it closes to some degree the space in the upper portion of the slot 2. Such supplementary retainers are not essential, but to some extent prevent any flying dust, sand or water from finding its way into the box. The use of such supplementary oil retainers are not of great importance, though their use is advisable when convenient, or where the conditions of load are such that unusual amounts of impurities may find their way into the box.

It has been pointed out above that a particularly important feature of the use of the box type of container is that it enables such box type containers to be carried for replacement purposes as desired. In such cases, the box type containers may be packed with the waste in the particular manner described above so that they are ready immediately for insertion into journal boxes, when desired, and thus eliminates the necessity for repacking the boxes by the unskilled men under running service. The same feature may be utilized without necessarily employing a box type of container which also acts as an oil seal. Thus any type of container of the general form of that shown in Figure 7 without employing any spring 22 may be utilized for this purpose, merely serving as a package for containing the waste in the particularly packed condition as described above in connection with ordinary railroad practice. The rear wall H3 in such case need not be more than the weight of the wall 4 of the guard slot, or may be if desired higher than the wall 4 without coming into contact with the journal H]. A box type container of this character, which is not to serve as an oil seal, and packed with waste in the manner set forth above, thus serves as a filler or refill for replacing the packed waste when such operation is necessary. The container holding the waste in such cases may be of general box type adapted to conform with the inner contour of the journal box itself, and adapted readily to be inserted into position, and may be made of any desired material, such as paper, fabric, wood, cardboard, leather, etc. in any shape or form of material which will hold the waste in the packed condition adapted to be inserted into the journal box. Such refills or fillers carrying the waste, enable the waste to be replaced under running service conditions without requiring packing on the job, and eliminate the difiiculties that obtain when unskilled workers have to pack the waste in the journal box under service conditions. Any number of such refills or fillers carrying the waste in the desired packed condition may be carried for replacement purposes, and constitute a desirable and simple article of manufacture of considerable utility.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim:

1. An oil retainer for journal boxes comprising a box-shaped member adapted to be placed in a journal box, one wall of the box-shaped member being of flexible material extended to adapt it to contact with the journal, the extended wall having a semi-circular cut out portion enabling the extended wall to contact with the journal over the lower half of the periphery of the journal,

and spring means carried on the wall of the container for urging the fiem'ble material into contact with the journal.

2. An oil retainer for journal boxes comprising a box shaped member adapted to be placed in a journal box, one wall of the box-shaped member being of flexible material extended to adapt it to contact with the journal, the extended wall having a cut out portion enabling the extended wall to contact with the journal over a substantial part of the lower periphery of the journal, the extended wall having corrugations or folds to increase its flexibility.

3. An oil retainer for journal boxes comprising a box-shaped member of flexible material having a configuration conforming with a journal box in which it is adapted to be placed, the rear wall of the box-shaped member being of leather and extended to adapt it to contact with the journal, the extended leather wall having a semicircular cut out portion enabling the extended wall to contact with the journal over the lower half of the periphery of the journal, said boxshaped member being prepacked with oil soaked waste in condition for direct use in journal boxes.

4. In combination, a journal box having an inner wall provided with an opening through which a journal may pass, the opening being of substantially greater diameter than the diameter of the journal, the height of the lower portion of the inner wall normally determining the level of oil in said journal box, and a unitary dust guard and oil seal comprising a leather plate member adjacent to the lower portion of said inner wall and mounted in sealing relation thereagainst and extending above the said lower portion of the inner wall but below the center line of the journal, whereby the oil in said journal box may be kept at a higher level than is normally possible in the absence of said plate member, the said plate member being provided with corrugations or folds.

5. An integral oil retainer, dust guard and oil seal comprising a box-shaped member adapted for expeditious insertion and removal from journal boxes, the latter in their permanently assembled position, the said box-shaped member having a configuration conforming with the journal box and seating against the bottom wall thereof, the said box-shaped member being of a substantially rigid though flexible material, one wall thereof provided with corrugations or folds being extended to contact the journal and having a cut out portion adapted to fit the lower periphery of the journal and provided with spring means for urging said wall into contact with the journal, a portion of the bottom of the said box-shaped member adjacent the extended wall being angularly disposed relative to the remainder of the bottom, and the said extended wall angularly disposed relative to the said portion of the bottom; the said angles being in excess of 90.

WILLIAM B. D. PENNIMAN. 

